Category Archives: News & Events

Ren Zhiqiang says media should work for the people not Party, gets accused of trying to topple CCP

Ren ZhiqiangNever known to hold back his words online, outspoken former tycoon and Weibo celebrity Ren Zhiqiang has once again become the target of state media editorials, following his criticism of President Xi Jinping’s much-publicized media inspection tour on Friday. Continue reading

A Chilling Effect As Hong Kong’s Missing Bookseller Cases Go Unresolved

Customers browse books on Chinese politics by Mighty Current

Customers browse books on Chinese politics by Mighty Current, the publisher that has seen five of its booksellers disappear, at a stall set up by political activists in Hong Kong on Feb. 5. Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Five Hong Kong booksellers disappeared and later turned up in police custody on mainland China, and nearly two months later, Chinese authorities have yet to explain how they got there. Continue reading

Xi Jinping Tells Chinese Media to ‘Speak for the Party’

State media-CCTV

State media workers are shown celebrating President Xi Jinping’s media tour in this screen shot from CCTV broadcast, Feb. 19, 2016.

President Xi Jinping’s call for unswerving loyalty from the state media to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, speaks to the president’s ambition to lead a world superpower and echos Beijing’s growing concern over its international image, analysts told RFA’s Chinese services. Continue reading

China set to ban all foreign media from publishing online

Government directive: ‘Sino-foreign joint ventures, Sino-foreign cooperative ventures and foreign business units shall not engage in online publishing services’

Hardeep Matharu, @Hardeep_Matharu

china-internet-REX

Only wholly Chinese owned companies will be able to publish online – subject to strict self-censorship Rex Features

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Defense Attorneys For Jailed Chinese Rights Lawyers ‘Fired’

The defense attorney for jailed rights lawyer Li Heping discovered he was relieved of duty

The defense attorney for jailed rights lawyer Li Heping discovered he was relieved of duty when he visited his client in detention, Feb. 18, 2016.

A number of prominent Chinese human rights lawyers being held on suspicion of subversion have allegedly “fired” their defense attorneys, but those familiar with the case said it was the authorities who terminated the defenders. Continue reading

China/Tibet: Writer and Activist sentenced to three years for ‘separatist’ writing and activities

Druklo19 February 2016 – The three year sentence handed down to Tibetan writer, translator and activist, Druklo (pen-name Shokjang), on 17 February 2016 is an appalling violation of free speech, PEN International said today.  PEN believes that the charges brought against Shokjang by the intermediate public court in Malho Prefecture (Jainca County), which include instigating a separatist riot in the 2008 Tibetan unrest and writing articles detrimental to social security on social networks, are solely for exercising his right to free speech. PEN International calls for his immediate and unconditional release. Continue reading

International publishers urge Chief Executive to take action on missing booksellers

18 February 2016, Hermina Wong

Publishing and bookselling associations based in the US and Europe have penned a joint letter to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, urging him to take action on the missing Causeway Bay booksellers. Continue reading

Free Expression, Publishing, and Bookselling Organizations Urge Hong Kong to Take Action on Missing Booksellers

Five booksellersThe Honorable Leung Chun-ying
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

1 Tim Wa Avenue
Admiralty
Hong Kong

February 17, 2016

Your Excellency Chief Executive Leung: Continue reading